Bond reduced for Iron River stabbing suspect

WILLISTON, N.D. – Bond has been reduced and a charge has been dismissed for an Iron River man accused of fatally stabbing another Iron River man in North Dakota.

Ryan Neil Anderson, 31, is now being held on a $500,000 cash or surety bond. His bond had been set at $1 million.

Although Anderson still stands accused of murder, an additional charge of attempted murder was dismissed.

Anderson pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. A two-week jury trial will be scheduled at a later date.

According to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Williams County Court, Anderson allegedly stabbed and killed 32-year-old Christopher King of Iron River on March 17 at an oilfield camp near Ray, N.D.

During a court hearing earlier this week, defense attorney Nicole Foster questioned the nature of the fighting between Anderson and the victim.

She raised questions about the chain of events, asking if Anderson can be seen having a physical altercation with his girlfriend, who has not been interviewed in the case.

Foster also said Anderson was “seriously injured” in the fight with bruising on his neck, and she asked if authorities had seen evidence of King pushing Anderson’s head three times into the wall.